Word game apparatus

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for playing a competitive scoring game including a game board and a plurality of playing pieces. The playing pieces include a plurality of elongated rod-like elements each having a plurality of individual discrete faces upon which reference indicia is provided. Each discrete face is separated from an adjacent face by a slot or groove. The slot forms interlocking means adapted to mate with upstanding projections on the game board such that they may be positioned in parallel, side-by-side relationship on the board. Reference indicia is provided on the board to indicate a row of selected faces on each playing piece as they are arranged on the board to form words or the like.

United States Patent Forgrave Sept. 17, 1974 WORD GAME APPARATUS PrimarExaminerRichard C. Pinkham t I l I 9 7 y lnven or Ma colm C ForgraveCedar M1ch Assistant Examiner joseph R- Taylor Asslgneei Le e|an3llIndustries, Cedar, Attorney, Agent, or FirmPrice, Heneveld, HuizengaM1ch. & Cooper [22] Filed: Oct. 15, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 406,377 [57]ABSTRACT Apparatus for playing a competitive scoring game including agame board'and a plurality of playing pieces. [52] [1.8. Cl. 273/135 D,35/73, 273/136 E, The playing pieces include a plurality f elongated273/137 R rod-like elements each having a plurality of individual [51]hit. Cl. A63f 3/00 discrete faces upon which reference indicia i [58]Field of Search 35/31 E, 73, 75; vided Each discrete face is Separatedfrom an adja 273/ 131 134 135 135 cent face by a slot or groove. Theslot forms interlock- 135 135 136 E1 136 136 136 ing means adapted tomate with upstanding projec- 137 137 137 137 137 tions on the game boardsuch that they may be posi- 137 tioned in parallel, side-by-siderelationship on the board. Reference indicia is provided on the board to[56] References C'ted indicate a row of selected faces on each playingpiece UN STA S T S as they are arranged on the board to form words or523,676 7/1894 McGrath 35 75 th like- 1,094,57O 4/1914 Jacobs 35/751,613,204 1 1927 Smith 273/136 w 13 10 Dramng Fgures as an If x IL 5 2o9 -.l-. .l.l .l-.| M 2 K c u Z 0 c s u Tot/x61 I/ [ACCOMPL I SHED J 5 zm w c N v 1* L. Q C F F l? L D F N R W Z I, D Y W H J J C E L I .30 /4 FI)? 5 1 m 6 V PAIENIEUsEP: 1 m4 WORD GAME APPARATUS This inventionrelates to word gamesand more particularly, to an apparatus on whichsuch word games are played. The game apparatus provides an exciting andfun game designed for the maximum enjoyment by players of all ages. Thegame apparatus designed for attractiveness, utility of use, and inherenteducational value includes a plurality of specially configured playingpieces positionable on a special playing board in parallel, side-by-siderelationship. The playing pieces are movable to form words or otherordered sequences of letters, numbers, colors, or the like.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the playing apparatuscomprises a supporting framework forming a playing board upon which aplurality of elongated bar-shaped playing pieces are adapted for positioning in parallel, side-by-side relationship. The board includesupwardly extending engaging means for holding the playing pieces inposition. Each of the playing pieces are in the form of an elongatedbar-shaped rod having a plurality of longitudinal faces each of which isdivided into a number of individual discrete face segments. Each of theface segments is adapted to carry reference indicia. Receiving means forthe engaging means on the board is located between each face segment andis adapted to receive interlocking means in the upwardly extendingengaging means to hold the playing pieces in position. Indicator meansextends across the board perpendicular to the playing pieces to providean indication of a selected portion of each of the individual facesegments of each playing piece such that they are readily discernablewhen arranged in playing position.

The many objects and advantages of the present invention will be readilyappreciated as the invention becomes better understood by reference tothe following detailed description and the accompanying drawingsillustrating the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of thegame apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top, plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane IIIIII of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane IV-IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane VV of FIG. 2illustrating the engaging means for the playing pieces;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one of the playing pieces;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 6 illustrating a modifiedplaying piece;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrating yet anotherembodiment of a playing piece;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary, top plan view of the playing surface having amodified reference indicator thereon; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary, top plan view of the preferred playingsurface.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIGS. 1-6, theinvention will be described in detail. In accordance with the invention,the game playing apparatus generally designated by the numeral 10includes a playing board 12 having a flat planar top surface 16 boundedby side walls 14 forming a supporting framework. A plurality ofelongated barshaped playing pieces 30 are adapted for positioning onplaying surface 16 in parallel, side-by-side relationship. Each of theelongated, bar-shaped playing pieces as best illustrated in FIG. 6includes a plurality, preferably four, of longitudinal faces. Each ofthe longitudinal faces is further divided into a plurality of individualdiscrete face segments 34 upon which reference indicia 38 is printed orotherwise disposed. Grooves or slots 36 cut around the playing pieces 30across the elongated faces separate each of the individual faces 34. Thegrooves formed between each individual face segment define a spacingtherebetween and are adapted to mate with engaging means 20 on theplaying surface.

Spaced-apart upwardly extending engaging means 20 on the playing surfaceholds the elongated playing pieces in position during use. Asillustrated in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, upwardly extending engaging means 20includes a pair of spaced-apart elongated strips extending across thewidth of playing surface 16. Each of the strips includes spaced-apartnotches 22 corresponding in number and position to the desired positionof the rows of elongated playing pieces. The notches depend downwardlytoward the playing surface 16 and include upwardly extending sidewalls24. As shown in FIG. 5, the grooved area 36 of the playing piece isadapted to seat in the notch 22. The cooperative engagement of thenotches and grooves holds the playing pieces in a perpendicularrelationship with respect to the upwardly extending engaging means andadditionally, because of the spacing between the notches, holds theplaying pieces in aligned side-by-side parallel rows.

Indicator means 18 may be provided to extend across the surface of theboard perpendicular to the playing pieces. The indicator is centrallylocated and in parallel alignment with the upwardly extending engagingmeans 20. In one embodiment of the invention, the indicator meansincludes a plurality of spaced-apart raised projections 40 each of whichextend a slight distance either side of the lateral centerline of theboard. Preferably, raised projections 40 taper generally upwardly wherethe uppermost surface thereof 42 may be painted or otherwise providedwith means as contrasting coloring for identifying an alignedpredetermined position across the surface of the board, the contrastingcolor thereby forming the indicator 18. The upper contrasting coloredsurface is preferably approximately equal to the length of an individualface 34 of a playing piece. The raised indicator means are positionedbetween each aligned row of playing pieces and cooperatively formchannels to loosely embrace and guide the selected portion of each ofthe playing pieces.

I have found that the preferred construction is to space the upwardlyextending engaging means 20 only one cube or letter apart as shown inFIG. 10 so that the spaced means 20 will automatically locate theposition at which the selected letter or other indicia is to bepositioned. By this construction, the colored portion (FIG. 2) can beeliminated and if the upstanding means 20 extends a slight distancebeyond the intermost playing pieces 30 (FIG. 10), they will provide theindicator means thus eliminating the need for indicator means 18 of FIG.2.

The individual playing pieces may then be lifted from the playing boardand moved upwardly, downwardly, and rotated in their respective rows andrepositioned such that a selected one of the individual faces 34 ispositioned in alignment with indicator 18 between a pair of the raisedindicators 40. Spacing between the upwardly extending engaging means 20and the indicators is such that when an individual face is positioned inalignment with indicators 18, the notch 22 and groove 36 in the playingpiece are also in alignment to hold the playing piece in the selectedposition.

During competitive playing of the game, a plurality of individual cubes50 (FIG. 1) are provided. Each cube has reference indicia printed orotherwise disposed on each of its six faces. These cubes are used, aswill be more fully explained hereinafter, in an attempt to match wordsspelled out on the game board with the playing pieces in alignment withindicator 18.

In its simplest form, the game is a competitive game played by two ormore persons. The person controlling the board is called the speller andthose competing are called rollers for they roll the cubes and match thespellers word. In playing the game, the speller declares his word. Oncedeclared, neither he nor the competitors look at any references, for thespelling of the words may be challenged and if in error, the challengeris rewarded. Starting with the first playing piece to the left of theboard, the speller manipulates the playing piece searching for therequired letters and if found, places the bar-shaped playing piece intoits special interlocking arrangement, e.g., with engaging means 20positioned in slots 36. The selected letter is positioned at theindicator position. At this point it should be noted that the playingpieces in the game typically provided for adult playing have only twentyletters on each. The first or left-hand bar has the alphabet in sequencewith its continuation on the last bar. Each letter is assigned anumerical value which may be indicated as by the small numeralsappearing on the individual faces 34 adjacent the reference indicia 38(FIG. 6). After a word is spelled, the score is recorded by simplyadding the assigned numbers. The cubes, as will be more fully explainedhereinafter do not have numerical values because in competitive play,the word score is matched.

As the speller starts arranging the playing pieces, if a letter is notfound, he must declare another word. When eventually a word iscompleted, the speller moves the last playing piece at the end of theword so as to create a space-unnecessary, of course, when all the barsare used. When a speller indicates that the word is finished, hisspelling is now subject to challenge. The number values assigned to thevarious letters used are added for score. The roller can now challengethe spelling. If the speller is in error and if the roller can spell theword correctly, the roller obtains double the score. If not, the rollerobtains one-half the number of points for catching the error. Thespeller, of course, gets nothing. He may use the corrected word if theletters are available to him or a new word and if that is correct, theroller goes into action. The roller has a set of cubes 50 and endeavorsto match the spelled word. The roller has three choices-by matching theword exactly, by synonym, or by antonym. The choice determines thescore. The number of letters in the words determines points and also thenumber of rolls allowed to match. The fewer letters used in spelling theword on the board, the fewer rolls allowed. The difficulty factor ofmatching, of course, increases with the increased number of letters usedby the speller although this can be offset by the roller using similaror opposite words. In the examples shown, the l2-letter wordaccomplished positioned on the board along indicator 18, allows theroller four rolls to match the word although he must deduct one pointfor each roll not counting the first one. In the example shown, thecubes 50 have been rolled to form the synonym attain for the wordoutlined by the speller. Accordingly, it is equivalent to the spellerspoints. It is possible for a roller to outscore the speller. No game iscomplete until all spellers and rollers have had an equal number ofspellings and rollings. The highest score wins. It will be realized, ofcourse, that many variations can be made and that point tabulation, wordspelling, and the like may be varied as desired. The game is so designedthat an unlimited number of variations are conceivable with a number ofboards and sets of cubes available for play determining theadaptability.

FIGS. 7 and 8 disclose modified embodiments of the playing pieces. InFIG. 7, the playing piece is essentially identical to that shown in FIG.6 and is identified by the reference numeral 30a. The reference indiciaplaced thereon in this embodiment is in the form of raised letters 38aand/or impressed letters 38c fixed on each of the individual faces. Thisparticular embodiment adapts the game for use by blind persons sincethey can feel the individual letters on the game. In addition, it isuseful to teach children a feel for the various letters used. Variationsof the game when playing with children, for example, can includematching of letters between rollers and spellers without necessarilyspelling the words.

In the modification shown in FIG. 8, playing piece 30b includesreference indicia 38 b in the form of areas of contrasting colorarranged on each of the individual faces. The cubes used during theplaying of this modification of the game have similarly marked faceswhich are arranged to correspond to those selected by the speller.

Referring briefly to FIG. 9, an alternate embodiment of the indicatormeans is shown. The game board shown in FIG. 9 is essentially identicalto that shown in the previous figures and therefore, only a minimumnumber of reference numerals suffixed by the letter a are shown toindicate like parts. In this embodiment, reference indicator 18a extendsacross the width of the board on the board surface 16a. When the playingpieces are arranged between engaging means 20a, they effectively coverindicator 18a. An arrow or other indicator 52 is therefore positioned oneither side of the board on the upper wall of the frame 14a.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been described andillustrated together with several modifications of the playing piecesand the playing board itself, it will be readily appreciated by thoseskilled in the art that many other modifications may be made in thelight of the foregoing disclosure. Other rules may also be employed toplay other games with the same apparatus and the device may beadvantageously utilized for solitary play. It will be recognized thatthese and other modifications may be made without departing from theprinciples hereof. Therefore, these modifications are to be consideredas included in the appended claims unless these claims by their languageexpressly state otherwise.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A game apparatus comprising:

a supporting framework forming a playing board;

a plurality of elongated bar-shaped playing pieces adapted forpositioning on said board;

upwardly extending engaging means on said board for engaging and holdingsaid playing pieces in position thereon, said engaging means extendingacross said board and hoving interlocking means thereon for fixing saidplurality of playing pieces in aligned rows in parallel, side-by-siderelationship;

each said elongated bar-shaped playing piece having a plurality oflongitudinal faces, each said longitudinal face being divided into aplurality of individual discrete face segments, each said face segmentbeing adapted to carry reference indicia thereon;

receiving means on each said playing piece for receiving said engagingmeans, said receiving means including slots positioned between each saidface segment defining a spacing therebetween, said slots being adaptedto receive said interlocking means to hold said playing pieces inposition.

2. The game playing apparatus of claim 1 in which indicator means isprovided extending across the surface of said board perpendicular tosaid playing pieces for indicating designated portions of selectedindividual face segments of each of said playing pieces.

3. The game playing apparatus of claim 2 wherein said upwardly extendingengaging means comprises at least one elongated strip member extendingacross said board transversely to said aligned rows of playing pieces,said strip having a plurality of U-shaped notches formed therein, eachsaid notch being adapted to matingly engage with said groove formed insaid playing pieces.

4. The game playing apparatus of claim 3 wherein a pair of saidelongated strips are provided on said board, said pair of strips eachextending across said board, one of said strips being spaced from theother of said strips and said indicator means being positionedtherebetween.

5. The game playing apparatus of claim 4 wherein said indicator meanscomprises an area of contrasting color extending across the surface ofsaid board, said elongated strips being positioned equidistant from saidindicator.

6. The game playing apparatus of claim 4 wherein said indicator meanscomprises a plurality of spaced, raised projections on said board, saidprojections extending perpendicular to said elongated strips betweensaid aligned rows of playing pieces and cooperatively forming channelsto embrace a selected portion of said playing piece, the upper surfaceof each of said projections forming a contrast with said board toindicate aligned foace segments of said playing pieces.

7. The game playing apparatus of claim 6 wherein said upper surfaces ofsaid raised projections each have an area of contrasting color thereondefining a preferred position of aligned face segments when positionedbetween adjacent projections.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein reference indicia iscarried by at least some of said face surfaces of said playing pieces.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said reference indiciacomprises raised letters.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said reference indiciacomprises areas of contrasting color on said face surfaces of saidplaying pieces.

11. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the upwardly extending engagingmeans is spaced one segment thus providing the spaced indicator means.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said reference indiciacomprises inpressed letters.

13. The game playing apparatus of claim 1 in which said engaging meansincludes a pair of elongated strip members extending across said boardtransverse to said row of playing pieces, one of said strip membersbeing spaced from the other of said strip members a distance to receivean individual face segment therebetween, said strip memberscooperatively forming indicator means for'indicating designated portionsof an aligned row of selected individual face segments of each of saidplaying pieces.

1. A game apparatus comprising: a supporting framework forming a playingboard; a plurality of elongated bar-shaped playing pieces adapted forpositioning on said board; upwardly extending engaging means on saidboard for engaging and holding said playing pieces in position thereon,said engaging means extending across said board and hoving interlockingmeans thereon for fixing said plurality of playing pieces in alignedrows in parallel, side-by-side relationship; each said elongatedbar-shaped playing piece having a plurality of longitudinal faces, eachsaid longitudinal face being divided into a plurality of individualdiscrete face segments, each said face segment being adapted to carryreference indicia thereon; receiving meanS on each said playing piecefor receiving said engaging means, said receiving means including slotspositioned between each said face segment defining a spacingtherebetween, said slots being adapted to receive said interlockingmeans to hold said playing pieces in position.
 2. The game playingapparatus of claim 1 in which indicator means is provided extendingacross the surface of said board perpendicular to said playing piecesfor indicating designated portions of selected individual face segmentsof each of said playing pieces.
 3. The game playing apparatus of claim 2wherein said upwardly extending engaging means comprises at least oneelongated strip member extending across said board transversely to saidaligned rows of playing pieces, said strip having a plurality ofU-shaped notches formed therein, each said notch being adapted tomatingly engage with said groove formed in said playing pieces.
 4. Thegame playing apparatus of claim 3 wherein a pair of said elongatedstrips are provided on said board, said pair of strips each extendingacross said board, one of said strips being spaced from the other ofsaid strips and said indicator means being positioned therebetween. 5.The game playing apparatus of claim 4 wherein said indicator meanscomprises an area of contrasting color extending across the surface ofsaid board, said elongated strips being positioned equidistant from saidindicator.
 6. The game playing apparatus of claim 4 wherein saidindicator means comprises a plurality of spaced, raised projections onsaid board, said projections extending perpendicular to said elongatedstrips between said aligned rows of playing pieces and cooperativelyforming channels to embrace a selected portion of said playing piece,the upper surface of each of said projections forming a contrast withsaid board to indicate aligned foace segments of said playing pieces. 7.The game playing apparatus of claim 6 wherein said upper surfaces ofsaid raised projections each have an area of contrasting color thereondefining a preferred position of aligned face segments when positionedbetween adjacent projections.
 8. The apparatus as defined in claim 1wherein reference indicia is carried by at least some of said facesurfaces of said playing pieces.
 9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8wherein said reference indicia comprises raised letters.
 10. Theapparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said reference indicia comprisesareas of contrasting color on said face surfaces of said playing pieces.11. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the upwardly extending engagingmeans is spaced one segment thus providing the spaced indicator means.12. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said reference indiciacomprises inpressed letters.
 13. The game playing apparatus of claim 1in which said engaging means includes a pair of elongated strip membersextending across said board transverse to said row of playing pieces,one of said strip members being spaced from the other of said stripmembers a distance to receive an individual face segment therebetween,said strip members cooperatively forming indicator means for indicatingdesignated portions of an aligned row of selected individual facesegments of each of said playing pieces.